"Are we busy? Look at this office," said KU coach Roy Williams, pointing to a stack of papers on his cluttered desk.

WILLIAMS WAS speaking Wednesday morning, moments after returning to Lawrence on a red-eye flight from who knows where.

His schedule doesn't lighten. Williams is in Chicago today and Saturday, running tryouts for his USA Basketball Under 22 select team at the Moody Bible Institute. Team members will train in Lawrence from June 5-12.

Williams' U.S. team will compete at the Under 22 qualifying tournament June 14-20 in Argentina and the world championships July 24-31 in Spain.

After catching his breath Wednesday, Williams made his first public comments about the transfer of Cal's Haase, a 6-3 shooting guard.

"We're ecstatic about it. He'll be a very good addition to our squad," Williams said. "He's a youngster who can practice the whole year, but cannot play (in accordance with NCAA transfer rules). That is something that was beneficial to Rick Calloway and Rex Walters. Hopefully it'll be likewise for Jerod Haase.". . .

NEW ILLINOIS STATE assistant coach Jeff Wulbrun, the first assistant named by Stallings, was Lou Campanelli's No. 1 assistant at Cal the past seven years. Wulbrun quit right after Campanelli was fired this past midseason.

Wulbrun was in charge of Cal's recruitment of Haase, who played his prep ball in South Lake Tahoe, Calif.

"He's a great kid, a beautiful kid. He'll endear himself to the people of Lawrence and KU supporters," Wulbrun said. "He plays so hard. He understands every facet of the game."

Haase originally picked Cal over Stanford and some smaller California schools.

"He was what you would define as a 'sleeper' in high school. He lived in a remote area, up in the mountains," Wulbrun said. "Few people came to see him play. He didn't play in camps or all-star games. When you see the kid, it takes you a few days to get a read on him. Each time I saw him, I gained a greater appreciation of his talent."

On working with Stallings, Wulbrun said: "I would say I've gotten to know him in recruiting, being on the road the past five years. We'd see each other at camps and tournaments. We hit it off right away. Kevin has a plan of attack and a great deal of confidence. He's planning on installing the Kansas system.". . .

EX-KU FORWARD Mark Randall would have attended the NCAA title game had KU tripped North Carolina in the Final Four semis.

"Isiah Thomas chartered a plane to go to New Orleans," Randall said, referring to his Detroit Pistons' teammate. "Six or seven guys went to watch Michigan play North Carolina. If it would have been Michigan and Kansas, I'd have been the only guy on the plane rooting for Kansas.". . .